Wall-illuminating structure



Nov. 4 1924 L. M. RIDDLE WALL ILLUMINATING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March '7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l I I i Q I I N I I I I I I I j l 1* zI I I I I I M/VEN W? a, M. M

Nov, 4 1924.

L. M. RIDDLE WALL ILLUMINATING STRUCTURE Filed March '7, 1924 W/T/YESSESPatented Nov. 4, 192%.

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" appncation'med March 7,1924. $crial n 697.4 91.

- To all whom it may concern.

Be itknown that I, LoUIs M. Ema ls, a citizen of the United States, anda resident.

of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wall- IlluminatingStructures, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

The invention relates to structures for illuminating walls generally,whether they be exterior or interior walls, .or sign-boards, etc., butparticularly for illuminating exterior walls of buildings which areprovidedwith overhanging cornices.

The object is to provide a wall-illuminating structure for supportingelectric lamp sockets and reflectors, constructed and arranged tofacilitate installation and repair, and to prevent injury to persons byreason of breakage of glass reflectors.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which Fig.1 is a face view of the structure, the plane of view being indicated bythe line I-I, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 a transverse sectional view taken on theline II-II, Fig. 1, the structure being shown in the preferred positionwhich it occupies for illuminating an exterior wall of the building;Fig. 3 a sectional view taken on the line IIIIII, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 adetailed sectional view taken on the line IV-IV,

Fi 1. j

The illuminating structure provided according to this inventioncomprises a trough,

preferably formed of sheet metal, having its 0 en side lying in a planeinclined, prefera 1y downwardly, from the vertical and closed by aremovable plate which is preferably formed of a plurality of separatesegments each independently removable from the trough. To the back ofthe trough there is attached an electric conductor conduit, in which, oradjacent to which, there are a plurality of lamp sockets mounted onbrackets removably attached to the trough. On the removable front plateof the trough there are mounted reflectors which project inward ly fromthe plate so that in case a reflector is broken the pieces of it willfall into the ltwer portion of the trough rather than out o it.

Having reference to the illustrative embodiment of the invention, thetrough includes a back 1 and sides 2 and 3 which are preferably arrangedwith the back to form a front plate 5.' *This plate is preferably ErsuEnreentrant trough chamber. The outer edges of the sides may be bent firsttowards back 1 and then towards the center of the trough to form shelves4 to receive the edges of a formed'ofa plurality of segments havingoverlapping ends, one end being turned outwardly and the other beingprovided with a stiflening corrugation 6, as shown in Fi 4:. Each ofthese plates may be attache to shelves 4 by means of a pair of screws 7.Each segmentof the plate forming the removable front of the trough isprovided with an opening adjacent to which there are suitable clipswhich may take the form of bendable lugs 8 for holding a reflector 9,the outer edge of which bears upon the plate adjacent to its opening.

On the back 1 of the trough there is an electric conductor conduit 10which may take the form shown in Fi 2. It, too, may be formed of sheetmetal avin edges 11 bent outwardly and soldered, or 0t erwise secured toback 1 of the trough. Lamp sockets 12 are preferably arranged in conduit10 and mounted on suitable brackets 13 removably attached to the back ofthe trough by means ofscrews 14. The lamp sockets are arranged toregister with openings in the back of reflectors 9 so that incandescentelectric lamps 15 may be placed in the sockets from the outside of thestructure.

While the structure may be variously shaped for illuminating differentwalls, it is preferably shaped as shown in the drawin for illumlnatingan exterior wall of a building. When so shaped it may be arranged in anoverhanging cornice 17 of a buildin with the open side of the troughinclined %own wardly from the vertical 1n a position to illuminate anexterior wall 16, the cornice and wall being indicatedin dotted lines inFig. 2.

In case a reflector 9 is broken, it being understood that thesereflectors are usually formed of mirrored glass, the broken pieces ofthe reflector will fall in the lower portion of the reentrant troughchamber rather than on a pavement below where inju to pcdestrians mightresult In case 0 trouble with a socket or reflector, access to each maybe readily had without disturbin the entire structure. If a reflectorbreaks a that it is necessary to do is to remove segment 5 on which itis mounted and substitute a new refi ctor. In case of trouble with asocket, all m that it is necessary to do is to. remove the front segment5 and the'bra cket 13 to which.

the socket is attached. 1

It is a further characteristic of the invention that the reflectors aresupported in such a manner that they are readily accessible forcleaning.

According to the provisions of the patent statute, I have described theprinciple and invention, together with the operation of in ii I considerto represent the structure whic 7 best embodiment of it. However, Idesire to have it understood that, within the scope of: the appendedclaims, the invention maybe practiced by other forms of constructionthan that particularly illustrated and described. v 1 '7 I claim. as myinvention:

,1. A wall-illuminating structure comprising atrou h having its openside lying in a plane inclined from the vertical and closed by aremovable plate, an electric conductor v and closed by a removableplate, an electric conductor conduit attached to the back of thetrough,and brackets removably attached to the back of'thetrough adjacentto said conduit, lamp sockets attached to said brackets, and reflectorssupported by said front plate. 7

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

LOUIS M. RIDDLE.

Witness Eowm O. J onus.

